Feed device for gas-producers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. W. BILDT. FEED DEVICE FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

o.442,676. Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

WITNESSES Inn/Emma (No Model.) tsSheet 2.

2 Shee O. W. BILDT. FEED DEVIGE FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

No. 442,676. Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

WITNESSEE I 5 V INVENTDR UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

CARL WILHELM BILDT, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FEED DEVICE FOR GAS-PRODUCERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,676, dated December16, 1890.

Application filed August 15, 1889. Serial No. 320,795. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL WILHELM BILDT, of the city and county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Feed Devices for Gas-Producers; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and in which Figure 1 represents a centralvertical section of the upper part of an ordinary gas-producer with myimproved feed device or apparatus combined therewith, the latter alsobeing shown in section. Fig. 2 is a top or plan View of the parts shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view to Fig. 1 of the lowerpartof my improved feed device, shown upon an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 isa plan, also upon an enlarged scale, of the revolving disk of myimproved feed device or apparatus for'evenly distributing the coal inthe gasproducer, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The object of my invention is to effect a saving in fuel and labor, andalso to reduce the liability to injury of the workmen from escaping gasand it consists of a feed device or apparatus combined with the top ofthe gas-producer, having a continuously-revolving disk for continuouslyfeeding and evenly distributing the coal ifi said gas-producer,

the device or apparatus also having means whereby the supply of coal maybe regulated, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tofully understand the nature and purpose thereof, I will now proceed todescribe it more in detail.

It is a well-known fact that the more uniform the layer of coal can bekept in a gasproducer the better the result will be.

A common way of running gas-producers is to charge the coal by handthrough a hopper. In this way the coal is not evenly distributed overthe surface, but falls more in one place than another, thus forming alayer, which increases in thickness in different places as the coal iscontinued to be pourediu. This causes a variation in the composition ofthe gas in the generator in different parts of the same producer. Anexcess of carbonic acid is thus produced, which results in a waste ofcoal. Another drawback in charging by hand,aside from the waste of coal,is the escape of gas, which is very injurious to the workmen.

The above disadvantages, it is claimed, are removed by my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the part. marked A represents the upper partof an ordinary gas-producer. Myinvention being combined with the topthereof only, it will be unnecessary to illustrate or describe the otherparts of said producer.

B is the coal receptacle or receiver, arranged and fastened in position,preferably over the center of the producer to the cover thereof. It isprovided with a covered inlet B at the top, through which to supply thesame with coal, and made open at the bottom to permit the coal todischarge therefrom, the lower end of said receptacle being prefererablydrawn in smaller, as isindicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

To the upper end of the receptacle is secured an upright frame C, whichcarries a cone-pulley D, and also serves as a bearing for the upper endof a vertical shaft E, both being fitted to turn in suitable bearingstherein. The shaft D of the cone-pulley is provided with a worm-gearF,which engages with a horizontal spur-gear G on shaft E to turn thelatter. Power is transmitted to the cone-pulley D through the belt H,conepulley I, and main shaft J, said cone-pulley I being secured to saidmain shaft, and the latter driven by connection with suitable drivingmechanism in any well-known way. The spur-gear G, while turning withshaft E, also permits said shaft to be moved up and down freely byforming a spline on one and a groove in the other, as is indicated inFig. 2. The shaftis also fitted to turn in suitable bearings at the topand bottom of the coal-receptacle B, as is indicated in Figs. 1 and Tothe lower end of the shaft E is secured a horizontal disk K, of peculiarconstruction, and by means of which the coal as it passes out from thereceptacle is caused to be evenly distributed in the producer, as willbe more fully described farther on. Said disk K (see Figs. 3 and 4) ispreferably made with the fiat surface a at the top, with the flaring orfan-shaped part 1) extending down and outward from said horizontal flatpart a, provided with diverging grooves or corrugations and graduated inwidth from a point at each end 0 c to the wide central portion cl, alsohavin g theirregular-shaped concave part c extending between the points0 c of the part b and made widest at the center 0', as in the formerinstance, this part c being curved in an opposite direction to the partZ) and converging inward and down under the flat part a toward itscenter, as is fully shown in said Figs. 3 and 4:. By thus constructingthe disk it is obvious that as the coal is discharged thereon from thereceptacle B and passes therefrom into the producer the fan-shaped partb causes said coal to be evenly distributed over the surface of theburning coal in said producer in a thin sheet or layer from a line aboutunder the outer edge of the flat portion a of the disk to the inner sideof the producer, and

the converging concave part c distributes it evenly at the center undersaid flat portion a, thereby keeping the whole surface constantlysupplied with fresh fuel of an even thickness, and in consequencemaintaining a uniform combustion, which, as will at once be apparent,not only renders the process and result produced more satisfactory, butalso effects a large saving in fuel. While the producer is in operationa constant rotary motion is imparted to the disk, through the mechanismpreviously described, for the purpose of keeping the coal constantly inmotion, and thus maintaining a continual discharge of coal into saidproducer, said revolving motion in connection with the peculiar form ofthe disk causing the even distribution of said coal, as previouslydescribed. The amount of coal discharged into the producer may beregulated by increasing or decreasing the speed of the disk, and also byincreasing or reducing the distance between the top of said disk and thebottom of the coal-receptacle B, the speed being regulated by moving thedriving-belt H on the cone pulleys D or in any other well-known way andthe disk being moved vertically by means of a rope f, fastened to theupper end of shaft E,'passed over suitable guide-pulleys g, and operatedby a crank-lever h, as is indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

As is well known, gas-producers charged by hand require fresh coal to besupplied at certain intervalsabout ten to twenty minutes whereas by theapplication of my invention the coal is continuously fed from a largereceptacle, which has to be refilled only about once in three hours. Itis therefore obvious to those skilled in the art that a large saving inlabor, as well as fuel, is effected. Furthermore, being charged at muchlonger intervals, less opportunity is afforded for the escape of gas,thus rendering the attendance upon the producer not only morecomfortable, but much less injurious to the workmen.

By the use of my invention larger gas-producers may be employed thanwhen chargedby hand, as the coal may be evenly distributed equally aswell over either a small or a large surface.

' I am aware that a mechanical device for separating and distributingthecoal as it is discharged into a furnace is not broadly new, and Itherefore limit my invention to substantially the construction hereinset forth and shown. Having now fully described my said invention, whatI claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a feed apparatus for gas-producers,a disk and means for rotatingthesame, arranged under the coal-receptacle and having means forsupporting as well as for elevating and lowering the same, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a feed device or apparatus for gasproducers, the rotary disk K,consisting of the top horizontal flat part a, the convex fanshaped partb, and the concave irregularshaped part c, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

CARL \VILHELM BILDT.

WVitnesses:

A. A. BARKER, W. B. NOURSE.

